Never get lost again with the latest NAVIGON Windows Phone update

NAVIGON for Windows Phone has been updated to version 4.7, introducing a number of new features for consumers to utilise while on the move. The NAVIGON set of apps for the platform, available for the US, Europe and Australia offer turn-by-turn navigation among other unique features. If you're looking for a more advanced support tool than the likes of Nokia's HERE Drive, the rather expensive NAVIGON may well be up your street.

So what's new in the latest release? Developer Garmin has added some exciting new features, as noted above, in a free release (for those who already own a purchased copy). First up we have Last Mile. The new function automatically saves the position of the parked car and can aid the user in locating the vehicle.

As well as the above, the app now offers parking options while using the app for navigation. When approaching the destination an icon will display on the map, providing access to a list of available parking options close to the set destination. It's that little bit extra that makes the journey slightly less stressful with more functionality and cover at hand.

Before reaching the destination to park up, one can use Google Street View to check out the end point before heading off. This helps build a better understanding of what to expect when arriving and is now implemented into NAVIGON for Windows Phone. This is particularly useful should the user be unaware of the area and roads leading up to the destination itself.

Instead of relying on a laptop, tablet or even a separate solution for such functionality, NAVIGON now offers Google Street View inside the app. It must be said that we'd prefer not to see a reliance on any Google service when using a Windows Phone.

To help provide more ways to kick off the search for locations nearby, NAVIGON is now integrated into Bing Search. Lastly, Garmin has implemented an EnergySaver mode. The setting enables consumers to save some battery life while navigating. It will reduce the frame rate of the map display and switch off the screen entirely when there aren't any upcoming turns. The display will then automatically come to life when a turn approaches. Now that is a neat feature.

It's a welcomed update, with some great features for consumers to take advantage of. Version 4.7 further enhances the premium experience offered by NAVIGON and heats up the competition between competing services. While Nokia's HERE Drive is both free and available to all Windows Phones, it's always the case of "You get what you pay for," and the latest build of NAVIGON is definitely worth checking out.

You can download NAVIGON for the US (currently on sale for just $29.99 until April 8th), Europe (£51.49) and Australia ($46.99) from the Windows Phone Store. All apps have been updated and QR codes are in order of versions listed with pricing. Please note that at least 1.1GB of internal storage is required for the apps to run successfully.

Never get lost again with the latest NAVIGON Windows Phone update

Really? You're that much of a technology ideologue that an optional, extra feature in a non-Google GPS navigation app that happens to utilize open source Google Street View data will cause you to not look any further...

The Street View is done very well in this and will be extremely valuable for actually seeing what your destination looks like before you get there. In fact, this is one of the best nav apps for WP to date.

I shy away from Google products as much as possible out of principle. They have pretty much waged war on Windows Phone users, so I don't feel the need/want to support them. Plus, if you get used to using them, they have shown a tendency toward having temper tantrums and taking things away. They constantly mess with our YouTube access. They provide no official apps. They threaten to remove functionality from our email/contacts/calendar if you choose to use Gmail. It's not as much being an ideologue as just not wanting to provide any traffic/data in support of a company that goes out of its way to exclude me.

+ 1 billion. I hate Google. It's not bad enough that the two Android phones I owned (Amaze/Sensation) sucked scat through a straw, but that they are insane spies. For the life of me I can only believe that people think Android is great being the same people who thought Windoze 95/Vista/ME and the associated crapware were great in the 90s - they just didn't know any better, like a person driving a 1994 Chevy Cavalier.

They harass the heck out of you if you use a proxy to avoid their spying and were absolutely worthless with tech support when I had a problem with their mail / spy service. Screw them, their Big Brother bending over to spy on their users. They're current/future protoges for the CIA, count on it.

I have NAVIGON for Android and although it can be a bit buggy and sometimes crashes if someone calls you! In my experiance it is much more accorate that the Nokia navigation I had on the Lumia 800. The Nokia drive was a better user experiance but had a hard time finding the right places, specially the last KM, which is to me the most important KM. NAVIGON is also much better than finding the right POI or finding a location that does not have a build-in POI, thanks to the Google database they use.

Can't want to buy my next Lumia to see if and how Nokia has improved its navigation software in the last 12 months.

I see they added a battery saver type feature.
I hope, in addition to this they fixed the problem that when you charge the phone (in car with high current) it still drains the battery.
For my area Navigon has givin better results then Here Drive + Beta. My only real gripe was the battery problem.

Then you will have to carry around two things. I bought it on WP7 when it first went on discount $24.99 and I still use it more than Nokia's Here drive. It's a proper Navigation app, just like a real GPS receiver.

@sholokov
Calling something a beta that has been around in it current iteration since October, and in other forms for a lot longer, is just a lame way of getting around the fact it is a poor piece of software. Drive has a poor feature set and has been noted by many for its lousy directions. If they dropped the Exclusive BS and called it an Alpha preview, it wouldn't be as irritating to some of us. As it stands, the Bing Maps directions in WP 7 though was more advanced and reliable that than Drive and calling it a beta doesn't justify the bad joke.

I agree with Stephen. Nokia uses Drive to attract customers but slaps a beta tag on it as a way try and prevent criticism. How long is it ok to be in Beta? How long is it aloud to suck before its "ok" to say it sucks? I feel like they misled me and I think its fair to call them out on it. Mind you, this is coming from someone who is heavily invested in NOK. My interests should be their interests.

If they both have Navteq as their map supplier, I think that the Navigon app would have to blow me away for it to replace Nokia Drive for simple navigation on wp7.
Are there any turn-by-turn navigation solutions that have offline Google maps? Google was the only map service that responded to and updated maps from my map report that I sent to them.

How much do I believe a dedicated GPS cost is related to hardware? I have no idea. But lets put it this way. If you don't have lifetime maps see how much it will cost you to upgrade. Normally $80 or more and if you're lucky as low as $50. Based on your comment about "investors dream" it seems to me you have no idea how much it cost for an upgrade of GPS maps/data. Furthermore, yes I wrote "free". If you want something great, its cost should be commensurate to its value. I believe this product provides great value, therefore I do not believe it's expensive; but that's me.

I think we both have about the same idea of the costs associated with this. Your cost/benefit analysis for that app is different than mine. I get from point A to point b just fine with Nokia Drive. I also have a mostly unused Garmin that's a few years old and does get updates. I just did a quick search in Amazon and I can get new Garmin WITH lifetime map updates for $125. I'm assuming the hardware with GPS radio is a big chunk of that, but like you pointed out, I don't really know. Regardless, we have choices in these matters and if this is of value to you then so be it. It is not for me, but I reject the notion that it means that I'm a person out to get everything for free.

How long do you get free map updates for? The description for the FreshMaps 'feature' / IAP sounds like to get any updates at all you'll have to pay.

Considering that it's the same map data (Nokia owns Navteq) that already exists inside my phone for free, it's bad enough to pay the $30, but then to have to constantly keep paying to have updated maps would be ridiculous, as far as I'm concerned.

It's too bad, too, because the application features sound like a huge upgrade from Drive. If I was Navigon, I'd look into a 'lite' version that utilizes the already downloaded maps in WP8, for something around $5. I have a feeling they'd get a ton more sales that way.

I never use Google anything. I really like Navigon its one of my favorite apps. If you don't like using Google just don't. Search using Bing maps then pick Navigon for navigation. That's is what I do. You can't beet having tragic updates especially if you live in a big city area like DFW.

Navigon is a great app. I bought it when I had to make a lot of visits in Appleton and Green Bay, WI, when I had my HD7 and little time to spare between stops. If I were driving more to find and support customers like I did 10 years ago, I would definitely be using this app.

I have both Navigon and Here. I have to say Navigon is better and act like a true GPS. The only thing I don't like about it is I can't mark a location on the map that's not drivable, like somewhere in a big park where there is no road, nor somewhere in a big lake where the fish tend to be hanging around. Here Map and Drive should be combined. I really have no idea why they separated the functions. e.g., I can't just mark on the Drive a location and "Drive" there. I have to know the exact street address. This is a rather poor GPS experience.

The main thing stopping me from using a phone for GPS is that its not true GPS, but uses data. I frequent dead zones often in my travels and this is my only limitation, and my need for a dedicated receiver in my car. But this does look good.

You don't have to use data... It's only useful for AGPS (improving the GPS fix time): once your location has been found, you don't need data at all.
Except of course if you use a GPS app without an offline mode...

Nokia Here/Drive and Navigon don't need data plan to use as GPS. Both are offline which mean the maps can be saved in the phone. Data plan/usage provides additional info (e.g. Navigon shows current weather, Google Street View, etc).

I understand it does not run in the background. If that is the case, if I open another app or turn off my screen temporarily and then return to this app, does anyone know if it remembers the destination and route when it resumes? I would not want to have to reset the destination and route each time I return to the app during my drive.

It supports instant resume, meaning that if you use the back arrow to go back to Navigon, it will continue to guide you as expected (with a little delay for your position to be updated, but that's a matter of seconds).

$30 is like 6 months app budget for me. I will bust out of it for something that I "must have", but this isn't it. Drive has taken me from point A to B w/out a problem. Some additional features would be nice, but I don't see the cost/benefit advantage.

Right now when having Navigon on and connected to car charger (1000mA) it manages to discharge battery in a 10% per hour rate. That's most power hungry app ever. I have never experienced discharging when charging before. Hopefully the EnergySaver mode will save some battery. Anyway, Navigon is best navigation software for WP8, Here Drive+ Beta is really more like Alpha - far far from Beta. I really miss the one I was using on HTC HD2 with WM6.5...

I have all three major gps Solutions. Garmin Street pilot, Navigon, and Here, I like navigon the most but rely on Here much more since it has true background navigation. I can be out of the app and still receive directions. Navigon and Street pilot still lack that crucial part. Navigon has gotten two updates since wp8 was released and still lack this new wp8 functionality.

Woop woop, its da sound of GPS.
Wisepilot is a great navigation software and it seems there trial version. You pay in app and with 41.11 EUR you get a 1 year subscription. Nice metro look i must say. Everything included you pay Downloading as i speak.
Kolla in "Wisepilot" för Windows Phone http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=025092f8-e18a-42a5-ab78-73668bcacba9

I want it. But it'll have to drop about 10 Cersercies before I'll take the plunge. I always liked Garmin's high dollar software but I just can't justify 30 bucks. Beyond the price, Garmin's updates used to be a subscription. Does that carry over to Windows Phone?

What's up with Navagon in the last month with traffic details?? Its barreling me dead into traffic all the time when it used to offer alternatives when the traffic is bad. Now it asleep at the switch and NO traffic information at all. Dev's are you watching the thread? Something is wrong with traffic on this app.